Cardiff are reported to be keen on Adam Le Fondre, who admits he may have to leave Reading in search of first-team football.
Le Fondre has managed to bag 12 goals this season despite a season of struggle for the Royals, but he has still been unable to command a regular first XI place.
The 26-year-old has also struggled to force his way into the side since new boss Nigel Adkins took over and he admits the future at the Madejski Stadium does not look a bright one for him.
There will be no shortage of interest in the striker though and Cardiff, who will be playing in the Premier League next season, have him on their wanted list.
“I’m like every footballer. I want to start, I want to play games and at this moment I’m not getting anything,” Le Fondre revealed.
“We needed goals and that is what I bring to the table. I want to play every game, I want to start games but most importantly I want to come on the pitch and affect things and make an impact.
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“It is disappointing from my point of view that when we are pressing so hard I can’t come on the pitch and influence it. I have no idea what happens with me. It’s in the club’s hands. I’ve had a half-decent season by my standards.”
Tottenham Hotspur are on a high at the moment as they have gone 14 games unbeaten in the Premier League.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side also have an opportunity to win their first piece of silverware in a decade as they are due to take on Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Before that, the North London outfit will face United’s neighbours Manchester City in a league match this weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been dominating England’s top flight this season as they have a 13-point advantage over the rest of the pack.
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However, depending on how Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Liverpool pans out at the Etihad Stadium, it may be a good time to take on City.
At the moment, the North-West outfit are trailing 3-0, and they head into the return fixture on the back of a 3-2 loss to United, which prevented them from lifting the league title early.
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If City get knocked out of Europe before taking on Spurs, then Pochettino’s men will be brimming with confidence at Wembley.
Judging by the reaction on Twitter, fans are already hopeful.
Bournemouth’s rise from the lower leagues to the precipice of the top flight has all the makings of a cinema blockbuster. With only two games to go and their destiny in their own hands it appears that The Goldsands Stadium will play host to the perfect Hollywood ending.
But are our leading men really the heroes they have been portrayed as? Is this really the rags-to-riches story every sports fan should get on board with?
Make no mistake, the meteoric rise from the very gutters of the English league pyramid to the cusp of the ‘big time’, is an impressive feat. But as The Cherries have moved ever closer to the best, and richest league in the world, their everyman appeal has dwindled.
In 2011, Bournemouth became the latest in a long line of clubs to be taken over by a foreign businessman; Maxim Demin has reached into his pocket heavily to make what once seemed a distant dream, now a distinct possibility. Last year the Cherries recorded a £15.3m loss, a figure that if repeated this campaign, would see them fall foul of financial fair play regulations, hardly the record of a brave underdog.
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After an impressive season in the Championship, Bournemouth flexed their financial muscles by purchasing Callum Wilson from Coventry, one of the hottest properties in league football was acquired, smashing their transfer record; showing that this Bournemouth era is different to any in their history. In fairness to the Cherries, some would argue they were simply using the money they received from a sell-on clause in Adam Lallana’s contract at Southampton as well as the money accrued for Lewis Grabban, but for a club who so recently recorded huge losses and in this generation alone have experienced the heartache of financial mismanagement; it showed the reckless ambition the club now possesses.
As their charge to the Premier League looked as if it may be faltering, the plucky Cherries could recruit Kenwyne Jones on a measly wage in excess of £30,000, another twist to tug at the heartstrings.
On the pitch Bournemouth have wowed neutrals and pundits alike with their free flowing passing football and there is no doubt they have displayed some of the more pleasing play that the division has to offer. What hasn’t wowed an ever increasing number of supporters however is their preference to indulge in the dark arts; 15 times this campaign they have been awarded a spot kick, significantly more than any other side in the division. On more than one occasion these penalties have not only been soft, but have simply not been penalties at all.
Even with the overwhelming number of decisions that have gone in his favour, Eddie Howe still recently channelled his inner Mourinho by claiming there is a conspiracy against his players. Quite a convenient time for the leader of our heroes to put damning pressure on officials.
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When Bournemouth do, inevitably, make the Premier League, it will undoubtedly be the football story of the year; lowly Bournemouth who have dared to dream and made it all the way to the big time.
It’s the feel-good film of the summer, pass me the bucket.
Champions League top-scorer Burak Yilmaz, may leave Galatasaray in the summer, club manager Fatih Terim told the Daily Express.
The Turkish striker, who now has 8 goals in the Champions League, has attracted the attention of top European clubs with his impressive performance, including Premier League giant Manchester United.
“It’s not going to be easy to keep him,” said Terim, 59. “He has targets but it will be his decision. Being wanted is a good thing, but we are fond of him and believe he will do great things for us in the future.”
He added that Yilmaz has been a “miracle signing,” citing the striker’s natural scoring ability. “Burak senses goals. He can score anytime from anywhere. I’m really fond of him.”
Terim continued to praise the 27-year-old ace, likening Yilmaz to former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, saying he “is always thinking about scoring one more goal” and that he is only “going to get better and better”.
“He listens. He is 27 but he is still open to learning new things. Shevchenko was the same. If you substituted him in the 89th minute, he would be angry. Loving football is very important.”
Along with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, Arsenal and Liverpool are rumoured to have targeted the star as well. If one of the clubs offered the minimum transfer fee of £10 million, the striker could see a turn in the Premier League.
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Yilmaz will lead Galatasaray when they face Real Madrid in the quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
Tottenham Hotspur fans, as well as the wider football community, gave an outpouring of love and support to Ryan Mason when he was forced to retire from the game earlier this season.
In a statement released via Hull City’s official website in February, the midfielder, who was playing for the Championship club at the time, confirmed that he was advised to end his professional career at the age off 26 due to a head injury.
Mason fractured his skull in January 2017 during a collision with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, and went on to have surgery.
During his recovery, medical specialists warned the midfielder that returning to the pitch competitively could put him at risk of further damage.
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Since hanging up his boots, Mason has been carrying out punditry duties and has also started to do down the avenue of coaching.
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Tottenham, where the midfielder progressed through the youth ranks, confirmed on their official website that the ex-Hull player made a visit to Hotspur Way to learn the ropes.
Spurs fans were delighted to see his return.
Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.Comment from discussion Mason back at Hotspur Way.
Poor old Angel Di Maria has struggled to set the world alight since arriving at Manchester United from Real Madrid in the summer.
He had a fairly promising start to life at Old Trafford but has since tailed off, and now rarely produces the moments of magic expected of him on a weekly basis.
Not like he was doing at Real Madrid, anyway. And that makes you wonder why the La Liga giants sold him in the first place…
Well, it appears Barcelona’s assistant Director of Football Carles Rexach knows the true reason behind it, and it’s pretty funny:
“Florentino Perez looks at the world market and wants a team of Galacticos for everyone to admire. Do you understand what I mean? Ronaldo is the flagship of the club. Perez is selling an international brand. Vicente del Bosque and Di Maria are too ugly for Real Madrid. They are different from Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez.”
So that got us thinking, who out there is a lot more uglier than poor old Angel?
There has to be plenty in the game and, while the Argentine is no oil painting, he’s not the ugliest footballer to have ever lived, nor was he the ugliest at Real Madrid last season.
Here’s a few that are seemingly a lot more worse off…
Luka Modric…
Football – Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund – UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 12/13 – 30/4/13Real Madrid’s Luka Modric looks dejected Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine
Just why wasn’t he sold if Perez wants a team of ‘beautiful’ Galacticos. Anyone who looks like Gail Platt cannot be a beautiful Galactico. Simple as that.
Man United’s long ball tactics
Those long ball merchants at Old Trafford really need to learn how to play on the floor. It’s like the cool kid at school being forced to sit with the gang of geeky kids in class. Everyone else is laughing at you, including the geeks.
Stoke City’s style of play (and Peter Crouch)
But it appears to be strangely successful. Crouchy’s ugly bonce getting on the end of ugly long balls is beautiful, isn’t it? Isn’t it? Oh.
Ian Dowie
No explanation necessary. Obvs.
This little fella
What even is this?
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Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke has decided to leave the club at the end of the season, with the certainty of securing a juicy transfer to a top Premier League club.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City would be interested in bidding for the 22 year-old scorer, whose purchase is estimated at £16million, according to the Daily Star.
According to the tabloid, Benteke would be keen on landing at the Emirates, as he has shown a preference for the Gunners, although Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich’s cheque book could make the striker set sail for Stamford Bridge.
The former Genk forward has decided to leave Villa Park even if his team dodge relegation, fully aware that his outstanding performance this season could give him the chance to sign the deal of his career.
Benteke has scored 14 goals in 27 appearances, something which has been crucial for the Villans’ hopes of staying in the Premier League, with the Belgian slotting 10 out of the 23 goals the squad have scored in the English top flight (43.5%).
The level shown by the hitman has attracted the attention of other European clubs such as Atletico de Madrid, as the Colchoneros prepare for Radamel Falcao’s departure at the end of the season, but for now, it appears Benteke will be staying in England.
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Jordan Henderson has had an on-off relationship with Liverpool supporters since taking the captain’s armband from club legend Steven Gerrard.
The midfielder has not always been consistent on the pitch, plus injuries have caused a problem in recent seasons.
However, on Wednesday night, the England international was part of a slick midfield that helped orchestrate an impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Alongside James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the club captain helped play City off the park in the first half at Anfield, which was engulfed in a cauldron of noise from the home supporters.
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The result gives Liverpool a huge advantage heading into the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, particularly as they avoided conceding an away goal.
Every one of Jurgen Klopp’s players stood up to be counted, and they were rewarded thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.
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In the build-up to the match, Liverpool fans had urged the manager not to start Henderson, but after the final whistle, opinion swiftly changed.
Some fans were also left concerned that the midfielder will be suspended for the second leg at the Etihad after he picked up his third yellow card of the tournament for a challenge on Raheem Sterling.
After some suspect defensive displays at Arsenal this season, is Gabriel Paulista really the man to add some solidarity to the Gunners’ back four?
The Brazilian centre-back signed for a fee of £11.2 million and joins fellow centre-backs Laurent Koscielny and Per Meteresacker at the club. It remains to be seen whether Paulista has been bought to replace one of the current centre-backs or whether he will only be a squad player. However, considering the rather sizeable fee paid by Arsenal, you’d think the defender should be challenging for a starting spot.
At 24-years-old, Paulista is a good age and certainly has the potential to improve further. In terms of his stats so far this season, he does not particularly stand out compared to both Mertesacker and Koscielny. The Brazilian has won more tackles, made more blocks and has the highest Squawka performance score out of the three defenders this season. Although this may seem impressive, Koscielny has only played 12 games so far this campaign while Paulista has played 19. The Brazilian has also made two errors that have led to goals in 2014/15 while the current centre-backs at Arsenal have not been directly at fault for any goals conceded this season.
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Paulista’s playing style is not a typically English one; he likes to play from the back, often making interceptions and reading the game, more of a Gerard Pique than a Ryan Shawcross. However, at this level, it may take time for him to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League. He certainly has the skill and understanding of the game to become a hit in the Premier League but it will be interesting to see whether he can provide real defensive muscle to his game, something that is vital in England when strikers like Wilfried Bony, Andy Carroll and Diego Costa are about.
Wenger has obviously identified Paulista as a player capable of making it in the English top flight. He has pace, a good leap and is composed on the ball, attributes that current defender Laurent Koscielny also possesses. There is no doubt that the Frenchman has been a good servant to Arsenal but it did take him a while to fully adapt to the English game. Although this may not appeal to Arsenal fans, the same story could take place with Paulista.
Usually, it is easier for attacking foreign players to adapt. However, foreign defenders who hit the ground running are usually few and far between. The likes of Federico Fernandez, Federico Fazio and Marcos Rojo have barely set the league alight since their summer arrivals and these are all players that came to England with good reputations.
There is no doubt that Arsenal are taking a gamble with the Villarreal defender instead of opting for a reliable Premier League performer like Winston Reid. However, he will be given game time and an opportunity to prove himself at Arsenal due to the lack of squad depth they have in the defensive positions.
Arsenal fans will be relieved that the club have finally signed a defender just so Wenger doesn’t have to play either Nacho Monreal or Mathieu Debuchy at centre-back when the club suffers another inevitable injury crisis. Instead, Paulista will be the option in the heart of defence.
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To suggest that he is the answer to Arsenal’s defensive problems would be quite premature. However, it represents a step in the right direction for the club and now it is up to Paulista to prove that he is good enough to play at the top level.
Everton boss David Moyes has confirmed that unsung hero Leon Osman will be offered a new long term contract at Goodison Park.
Osman has once again impressed for the Toffees this season and even earned an overdue England call up from Roy Hodgson.
The 31-year-old celebrated 10 years since his debut yesterday having featured for the Merseyside club on January 12th 2003 against Tottenham Hotspur.
A fans favourite, Osman appeared to go unnoticed for years with his hard work and skill being massively underrated by fans and pundits.
However with the Blues now flying in the Premier League, Osman is part of one of the most effective midfields in the country and is rightly set for a new deal.
Moyes is a huge admirer of the wide man and is delighted that the club are rewarding him with a much deserved contract that could keep him at Everton for the remainder of his career.
“We are giving him a new contract because he is such a valuable player to us,” Moyes told the Daily Mirror.
“If he stays free of injury, he can go on for some years yet.
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“There are different types of players coming into the Premier League now, and it is a far less physical place – and that helps. He could survive in the other style of football and have a career, but now he is thriving.”